Wrench



C. RUGGER Nov. 8, 1932.

WRENCH Filed April 25, 1931 r W/ V///////A/////////////////AflM// Patented Nov. 8, 19 32 UNITED STA a GHARLES RUGGER, or V'SIOUX CITY, ;IOWA

WRENCH Application filed April 25,

My 'invention relates to wrenches of the adjustable jaw variety andhas for its object to provide a wrench wherein the set of the jaws canbe adjusted at the end ofthe i wrench handle:

More particularly, it is my object to provide a wrench structure wherein the handle is divided into a fixed portion and a rotatable portion, the latter being connected to the jaws through suitable gearing mechanism so that rotation of the rotatable portion of the handle serves to adjust the jaws.

Another object is to provide a structure wherein the head of the wrench may be made fnlly closed except :tor the groove wherein the jaws slide, the 'earing mechanism being thus encased and protected from dirt, rust, and the like. In connection with this object, it may be stated that certain problems arise in the Construction of the wrench to make it possible to assemblethe parts within the inclosing head and the present invention has solved these problems by the provision of certain features of Construction which will hereinafter be more fully described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Construction wherein after the wrench is assembled, it will be impossible for the jaws to be opened wide enough to become detached from the wrench head.

ith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the Construction, a rrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more tully set fort-h, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, n which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the wrench,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the Wrench,

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure is an end view of the head of the wrench, and

Figure 5 is a detail, sectional view of a modified form of spreader mountng.

The wrench has a main handle member which is tubular as shown in Figure 2, and which is formed integrally with the wrench 1931. Serial No. 532,74.-

head 11 forming a slide-way forthe jaws 12 and a casing for the gearing mechanism which will hereinafter be described.

Within the handle 10 is a hearing sleeve 13 which is threaded at 14 into the handle 10. 55 Beyond the endofthesleeve 1 3 the bore 1-5 of the handle 10 is reduced in'diameter as at 16 and extended into the head 11, a shou1 der 17 being formed between the *reduced bore 16 and the mai-n bore 15. p

A shaft 18 is journalled in the sleeve 13 and has a collar 19 received between the end of the sleeve 13 'and the shoulder 17 The collar 19 serves asa thrust hearing for the shaft 18. j i

The sleeve 13 projects beyond the end of the main handle portion 10 and serves 'as' a trunnion upon which is j ournalled the rotata ble handle cap 20. The rotatable handle ca 20 has an end wall 21 which is 'provided wit 70 a squared hole receiving the squared end 22 *of the shait 18. Anut 23 is threaded on to a threaded tip 24 on the end of the shaft 18 and secures the shaft and handle-cap in fixed relation to each other.

It will now be seen that the c'ap 20 is s'ecurely supported by the sleeve 13 and yet allowed to rotate thereon so that rotation of the cap will produce rotation in the shaft 18.

The jaws 12 are provided with conventional slide arms 25 journalled in the channeled slide-ways 26 of the head 11, and provided with rack teeth 27 which engage the worms 28 and 29 of the jaw spreading member. V This member is :tormed as an integral sleeve 30 provided with the worm threads 28 and 29 and with an interme diately 'positioned bevel gear 31. i j

A shaft 32 extends through the' sleeve 30 g and forms a trunnion forthe same. The shaft is provided with a threadedend 34 threaded into the solid end of the head -11 'and at its other end is provided with a .head

35 which is mounted in a collar 36 seated in a conical annular depression .37 in the head 11. i v

The head 11 is provided with a ca'vity 38 which extends from the solidend of the head to the other end thereof and merges with the 100 in the collar 36 is to provide a removable supdepression 37. 'The cavity 38 receives `he jaw spreading member just described.

Within the bore 16 of the handle, which opens into the cavity 38, there is positioned the bevel gear 39 which meshes with the bevel gear 31 of the jaw spreading member. It will now be seen that rotation of the handle cap 20 will .transmit rotaton to the jaw spreading member through the bevel gears 39 and 31, and cause the jaws 12 to be either spread apart or drawn together, depending upon the direction of rotation' It is to be noted in this respect that the worms 28 and 29 are oppostely pitched so as to give 'opposite directions of movement to the jaws 12. i

A nut 40 is ,threaded on to an intermediate threaded portion 41 of the shaft 18 and travels in a socket 42 in the end ot' the sleeve 13. A teat 43 on the nut travels in a groove or slot 1 1 in the sleeve 13, thus preventng rotation of the nut.

It will now be seen that as the shaft 18 is rotated, the nut 40 will travel baclrwardly and forwardly .in the soclet 42, limiting the movenent of: the shaft 18 by contact at one end or" the socket with the shoulder fcrmed 'by the socket and the sleeve 13 and at the other end of the socket, with the end wall 21 of the handle cap 20. This serves to prevent disengagement of the jaws from the worms The object of the mounting of the shaft 32 port for the shatt 32 in an opening large enough to allow removal of the-jaw spread- 'ing member. In other words', in order to' y .make the, wrench head in a single integral,

through theend of the ca'vity 38.

closed casng member, the jaw spreading member must be nserted longtudinally It will be understood that the collar 36 might be threaded into the head 11, thus obviating the necessty for threading the shaft 32 into the head, and making it possible to employ a jaw spreading member in which the shaft and sleeve are formed as a single integral member.

This form of Construction is shown in Figure 5, wherein the collar is referred to by the reference character 50, is threaded as at 51 into the head, and is provided with a hearing' I 52 for the trunnion 53 `formed integrally with the solid spreader member 54:.

The collar 36 or 50, as the case may be, is provided on one side with a notch 55 to allow the racl 27 of the aw to slide past the collar. It will be understood that in the appended claims where the words collar seat and collar are used, that they are intended to cover either the Construction shown in Figure 2, or that shown in'Figure 5. i

The advantages of the wrench are several.

- In the first place, by employing the substantially inclosed casing Construction in the head the jaws may then be tightened upon the nut by further manipulation from the end of the handle. This would be a Very dicult operation with the ordinary wrench wherein the hearing for the shaft 18 to allow perfect i'reedom of movement between the bevel gears 31 and 39 without causing them to bind, and the provision of novel means for preventng disengagement of the j aws from the worms.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangenent of the parts of my invention' without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechancal equivalents, which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim 'as my invention:

1. In a wrench, a tubular handle, a wrench head formed on oneend thereof, a j aw slidably mounted in'said wrench head, a spreader including a worm geared to said jaw and a bevel gear, a sleeve threaded into said tubular handle, the handle being provided at the end of said sleeve with a reduced bore smaller than the' diameter of the sleeveand with a cavity larger than said reduced bore defined between the end of the sleeve and said reduced bore, a' shaft journalled in said sleeve `and provided with a collar received in said cavity and constituting an end bearing for the shaft, `a bevel'gear on the shaft meshing with said bevel gear on the spreader.

i 2. In a wrench, a tubular handle, a wrench head for-med on one end thereof, a jaw sld v ably mounted in said wrench head, a spreader including 'a worm geared to said jaw and a bevel gear, a sleeve threaded into said tubular handle, the handle being provided at the end of said sleevewith a reduced bore smaller than the diameter of the sleeve and with a jaws are manipulated from the head end of avity larger than said reduced bore defined between the end of the sleeve and said reduced bore, a shaft journalled in said sleeve and provided with a collar received in said cavity and constituting an end hearing for the shaft, a bevel gear on the shaft meshing with said bevel gear on the spreader, the sleeve projecting beyond the end of the handle, and a handle cap Secured to the shaft and inclosing and journalled upon said proj ecting end of the sleeve.

3. In a Wrenoh, a tubular handle,a wrench head formed on one end thereof, a j aw slidably mounted in said wrench head, a spreader including a worm geared to said jaw and a bevel gear, a shaft eXtending through said tubular handle, a bevel gear on said shaft meshing with the bevel gear of the spreader, a sleeve member projecting beyond the end of the tubular handle and of less diameter than said tubular handle, a handle cap inclosing and journalled upon said sleeve member and Secured to the shaft, said sleeve member being provided at its end with a socket, and a nut threaded upon the shaft and slidably but non-rotatably mounted in said socket.

4. In a wrench, a tubular handle, a wrench head formed on one end thereof, a aw slidably mounted in said wrench head, a spreader including a worm geared to said j aw and a bevel gear, a shaft extending through said hand1e,`a bevel gear on said shaft meshing with the bevel gear of the Spreader, said handle including a portion in which the shaft is journalled, said portion at its end being provided with a socket, and a nut threaded upon the shaft and slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said socket, the shaft projecting beyond the end of said portion and being adapted to be rotated by the hand of an operator.

5. In a wrench, a tubular handle, a wrench head formed on one end thereof, a jaw slidably mounted in said wrench head, a Spreader including a worm geared to said jaw and a bevel gear, said spreader being positioned at a substantially greater angle than a right angle from the tubular handle, a shaft extending through said handle, a bevel gear on said shaft meshing with the bevel gear of the spreader, said hanclle including a portion in which the sha-ft is j ournalled, said portion at its end being provided With a socket, and a nut threaded upon the shaft and slidably and non rotatably mounted in said socket, the shaft projecting beyond the end of said portion and being adapted to be rotated by the hand of an operator.

Signed this 22nd day of April, 1931 at Sioux City, Iowa.

CHARLES RUGGER. 

